Jolie Quinn is a woman in charge. Her no-nonsense attitude has made her a rising star in the fashion world and her brand a household name among the Dallas elite.

Nothing will stop her from achieving her goals—not even the gorgeous British security contractor who seems just as interested in seeing her personal assets as he is in protecting her professional ones.

After a tragedy left him broken, Heath Powell made a rule of staying unattached.

But Jolie challenges him in a way he can’t ignore, and he isn’t used to backing down from a confrontation—especially when the reward for winning could feel so good.

As passion blazes between them, the stubborn, confident beauty arouses more than his desire. She touches his heart.

When a mysterious enemy threatens Jolie and her company, Heath is the only person Jolie can trust to help. But working with him to save her business might put her dangerously at risk of falling in love

Excerpt

Heath jerked back to face her and leaned in so close their noses nearly touched. “Am I wrong?”

She refused to stroll down that memory lane. “Does it matter?”

“I daresay it does. But we’ll come back to that. If you were merely mistrustful of men, you would have waited until tomorrow and delivered a well-​placed warning to keep me away from your sister.

Instead, you came after me. And when you found me with another woman, your temper flared. If I merely lived up to your expectations of being a womanizing prick, that shouldn’t make you angry at all, simply smug at being right. But you were livid. I doubt all that displeasure is on your sister’s behalf. In fact, I suspect, Ms. Quinn, that you have more than a passing interest in me. You were jealous.”

Apprehension raced through her veins. He was uncomfortably close to the truth. “You’re egotistical.”

“But I’m right.” He gave her a tight smile. “For the record, if I intended to disregard policy and pursue a woman in the office, I wouldn’t bother with your sister. As you say, she’s naive and provides no challenge. But you . . . You would be far more interesting. Pretty, strong, smart, not easily bendable. Color me intrigued.”

She tensed. “I’m your boss.”

“Temporarily. We’re both adults. Surely neither of us are prone to torrid emotional attachments. We could keep business separate from personal, couldn’t we?”

Normally, she’d say yes. But working with him constantly buzzing around her, asking questions, and watching her every move had already dented her focus. “I have no intention of becoming your next conquest.”

“I never planned to pursue you.”

Jolie wondered why, then dismissed the question as she buttoned her red coat. “Perfect. There’s nothing left to say except I’m sorry for intruding on your evening. I hope we can forget this by morning.”

She had to get out of here. She’d overplayed her hand and needed to regroup, to think about how to treat him tomorrow. The last thing she wanted was for Heath Powell to decide she was a challenge he should convert into his next bed partner after all. Normally, the sexual urges of a man wouldn’t concern her unless she was interested. If so, she found a way to have him for a night or two, then ended it.

Something told her that nothing with Heath would ever be that simple.

But when Jolie turned her back on him and headed for the parking lot, he snaked an arm around her middle and pulled her against his big, steely body. “I never planned to pursue you . . . but I’ve changed my mind.”

I think this installment of the WL books is starting to sound like many other Erotic Romances who are this far into a series as far as how far can the author take it as far as the hero is concerned when it comes to being a shameless man whore who is completely broken and uses sex as an outlet and the heroine who is drawn to him but is constantly stuck in the position where the plug is always chasing the light socket and she just happens to be attacked to the other end so she's dragged along for the ride.

The fact that manwhore status these days somehow equals a high level of attractiveness reduced my rating to four stars simply because I'm getting bored with the concept being inserted into nearly every Erotic novel I read.

However this is Shayla Black, there is plenty of fantastic writing and there is a minor concept that plays on the bodyguard theme between Jolie and Heath. Readers get plenty of tragedy and backstory and a ton of passion going on which was really great, I just wish I felt more heart along with it.

Still I thought Holding on Tighter was great and I look forward to reading the next installment in the future. Four stars for Holding on Tighter.